Three dimensional (3D) printers are in rapidly increasing use. One class of 3D printers includes stereolithography printers having a general principle of operation including the selective curing and hardening of radiation curable (photocurable) liquid resins. A typical stereolithography system includes a resin vessel holding the photocurable resin, a movement mechanism coupled to a support surface, and a controllable light engine. The stereolithography system forms a three dimensional (3D) article of manufacture by selectively curing layers of the photocurable resin onto a “support fixture”. Each selectively cured layer is formed at a “build plane” within the resin.
One rate-limiting challenge is the time required for motion of a lower portion of the build fixture through the resin. The fluid drag of the resin exerts forces upon the support fixture and the resin vessel. If the forces are too high damage to the resin vessel can occur. There is a need to improve minimize this fluidic drag.